Scope of Practice

NB -This article is a work in progress; in that we will strive to add each State's laws as references as we can locate access to those Statutes, for reference.

The Scope of Practice for Doctors of Chiropractic depends on the political jurisdiction in which they practice.

In the United States, in which there are an estimated 60,000 Doctors of Chiropractic in active practice, each State individually licenses the profession, in the same manner as all other professions. Thus, each State determines the extent to which DC's can function.

In some States, DC's can deliver babies, set fractures, perform minor surgery, suture lacerations, and prescribe over-the-counter medications, in addition to prescribing nutritional or homeopathic medications. In nearly all States, DC's can order laboratory analytical tests, take x-rays, and perform physical, orthopedic, and neurological examinations. Many allow DC's to obtain the samples for such analyses, by performing venipuncture, and those few regressive States which do not allow DC's to perform venipuncture, allow them to order it from someone who can perform it for them.

It must be borne in mind that all differences are due to economic/medical lobbies and politics in those States. All accredited Chiropractic institutions teach to the HIGHEST common denominator.

State, Province or Government	Link to Scope Statute	Statutory authority?	Physician status?
New Jersey	[State Site - Adopted version]		Yes, All Doctors must specify what kind of "Dr" they are, by use of the degree, or a modifier word
New York			No (When this law passed, 1/3 of the AMA was practicing in NY).
Florida		.	Yes